Crime down again in West Yorkshire (16 Apr 2015)

Crime in West
Yorkshire is at a 31-year low, latest figures released today
reveal.

However, continuing
financial pressure and reducing resources mean the success of the
past year will be increasingly difficult to sustain in
future.

West Yorkshire
Police continues to drive down crime with 1,635 fewer victims of
crime in the year up to the end of March, when compared with the
same period the previous year.

Reductions in house
burglary and other burglaries have been recorded with 760 fewer
victims and the number of thefts from vehicles is down by 2,743
offences.

Criminal damage and
theft are also down with a 27.4 per cent reduction in thefts from
people.

West Yorkshire
Police Temporary Chief Constable Dee Collins said: "Crime is now
back at levels last seen in the early 1980s. This is a tremendous
performance when considering the challenging financial climate we
have been operating in during recent years.

"Our officers and
staff continue to work hard to reduce crime and these results are
testament to their efforts. However as we move forward with
diminishing resources it is difficult to see how this downward
trend can be sustained - in fact, we are already seeing an upturn
in some crimes.

"We are committed to
doing everything we can to deliver the best quality service to
support the public of West Yorkshire. We are investing in the very
latest technology to support the work of our frontline staff and
looking to deploy all our resources in the most cost effective and
efficient way."

Changes in the way
crimes are recorded and increased victim confidence to report
offences has led to increases in recorded violent crime - up by
5,531 offences - mainly non-injury crimes such as verbal harassment
and common assault, and sexual offences which are up by
1,353.

This reflects the
trend nationally and is also as a result of a change in recording
practices which puts victims as the focus and has their crime
reports recorded at the earliest opportunity. This results in a
better service with victims reassured that their calls are
responded to quickly and effectively. Rates of violent offending in
West Yorkshire remain low compared to other similar sized force
areas.

T/CC Collins added:
"We are constantly developing our procedures to ensure crimes are
recorded accurately, offering the best possible service to victims
ensuring they are confident that their concerns will be taken
seriously and dealt with positively and robustly.

Mark
Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner,
said: "It is reassuring to see that overall crime across West
Yorkshire has fallen. These figures demonstrate that West Yorkshire
Police officers and staff continue to work hard to help bring down
crime despite severe budget pressures.

"I have raised with
the Temporary Chief Constable the issue of increases in recorded
violent crime and sexual offences and we are discussing what more
can be done to bring these figures down.

"It is however
positive that we have seen decreases across many crime types, but
this does need to set alongside crime recording issues, and
although a lot of work is being done by West Yorkshire Police to
address this, I will continue to closely monitor the outcomes of
this work.

"West Yorkshire
Police has had to work with fewer and fewer resources after severe
Government cuts -but these figures demonstrate that the hard work
and continued commitment of officers, staff and colleagues working
in organisations tackling crime is currently working.

"While it is
reassuring that crime has reduced, police officers and staff are
required to deal with more and more complex issues such as Child
Sexual Exploitation (CSE), cyber crime, human trafficking and
counter terrorism.

"I consider data
such as this on a timely basis to ensure issues are identified
quickly and acted upon."

NOTE TO EDITORS: These are the latest
figures available to West Yorkshire Police - The Office of National
Statistics (ONS) is due to publish figures on Thursday April 23
which relate to the last calendar year.